Samoa (2002) | Mayotte (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 30.6% (male 27,774; female 26,854)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 71,358; female 42,150) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 4,859; female 5,636) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 46.5% (male 41,632; female 41,301)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 50,373; female 42,118) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,502; female 1,511) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km |
total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997. | Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. |
Birth rate | 15.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 42.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.) |
Capital | Apia | Mamoutzou |
Climate | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) |
Coastline | 403 km | 185.2 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1962 | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
Currency | tala (WST) | euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $192 million (1999) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | territorial collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: 5th floor John Williams Building, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030 |
none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 |
none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | none | claimed by Comoros |
Economic aid - recipient | $42.9 million (1995) (1995) | $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995) |
Economy - overview | The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 16% of GDP; about 85,000 tourists visited the islands in 2000. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low. | Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism. |
Electricity - consumption | 95.79 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 103 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 59%
hydro: 41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m |
Environment - current issues | soil erosion | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
Ethnic groups | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% | NA |
Exchange rates | tala per US dollar - 3.5236 (January 2002), 3.4722 (2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997) | euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in November 1998, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Jacques BROT (since 3 July 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa BAMANA (since NA 1977) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term |
Exports | $17 million f.o.b. (2000) | $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997) |
Exports - commodities | fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, garments, beer | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon |
Exports - partners | Australia 62%, Indonesia 13%, US 11%, American Samoa 3%, New Zealand 3% (2000) | France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation | the flag of France is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $618 million (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $85 million (1998 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16%
industry: 18% services: 66% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $600 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 13 35 S, 172 20 W | 12 50 S, 45 10 E |
Geography - note | occupies an almost central position within Polynesia | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands |
Highways | total: 836 km
paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983) |
total: 93 km
paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $90 million f.o.b. (2000) | $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Australia 27%, US 26%, New Zealand 14%, Fiji 12%, Japan 9% (2000) | France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.) |
Independence | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.8% (2000) | NA% |
Industries | food processing, building materials, auto parts | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction |
Infant mortality rate | 30.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 65.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 59.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2001 est.) | NA% |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW (signatory), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) | FZ |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | 90,000 (2000 est.) | 48,800 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67% other: 56.9% (1998 est.) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Samoan (Polynesian), English | Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population |
Legal system | based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | French law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs or matai may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: byelection last held NA November 2001 (next byelection to be held 29 March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June 2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69.8 years
male: 67.06 years female: 72.69 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 60.6 years
male: 58.49 years female: 62.78 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80% male: 81% female: 79% (1999) |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique |
Map references | Oceania | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,091 GRT/ 8,127 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship | defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island |
Military branches | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
National holiday | Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons; active volcanism | cyclones during rainy season |
Natural resources | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower | NEGL |
Net migration rate | -11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua NAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United Independent Party or SUIP [leader NA] | Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 178,631 (July 2002 est.) | 178,437 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.25% (2002 est.) | 4.25% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa | Dzaoudzi |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) |
Radios | 174,849 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist) | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.69 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,183 (1998) | 12,000 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,545 (February 1998) | 0 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (1997) | 3 (2001) |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks |
Total fertility rate | 3.3 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 6.07 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA%; note - substantial underemployment | 38% (1999) |
Waterways | none | none |